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Landscape of action questions

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Landscape of action questions

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Short definition

Landscape of action questions are narrative questions that explore what happened, who was involved, what actions were taken, and how events unfolded.

Level

LEVEL 4 — TECHNIQUES AND INTERVENTIONS

Expanded definition

Landscape of action questions are used in narrative therapy to explore the concrete details of an event or unique outcome.

They focus on observable action and sequence.

They ask:

  • what happened
  • when it happened
  • where it happened
  • who was involved
  • what people did
  • what happened next
  • how the sequence developed

Landscape of action questions help ground the conversation in lived experience before moving into meaning, values and identity.

They are often used alongside landscape of meaning questions.

Together, they support re-authoring conversations and preferred story development.

Purpose of this technique

The purpose of this technique is to build a detailed account of events.

It helps people:

  • describe what happened clearly
  • identify moments of difference
  • notice actions that may have been overlooked
  • map sequences and responses
  • identify unique outcomes
  • prepare for meaning-making questions
  • connect small actions to preferred stories

When to use this technique

Use landscape of action questions when:

  • a unique outcome has appeared
  • the therapist needs more detail
  • the person speaks in general descriptions
  • a story needs grounding in specific events
  • the therapist wants to map a sequence
  • re-authoring conversations are beginning
  • the work needs to move from vague meaning to concrete action

How to use this technique

Ask for specific details.

Stay close to the event.

Avoid moving too quickly into interpretation.

Once the event is clear, the therapist can then move towards landscape of meaning questions.

For example:

First ask:

“What happened next?”

Then later ask:

“What does this say about what matters to you?”

Example prompts / questions

  • What brought you here?
  • What was happening then?
  • Can you give me a step-by-step account of the episode?
  • When did you first notice it?
  • Who was there?
  • What did you do first?
  • What did the other person do?
  • What happened next?
  • What did you notice was different?
  • How did the problem affect you?
  • What did others do when the problem came into the family home?
  • What was the first sign that something different was happening?
  • How did the episode end?

Non-clinical example

A person says they “handled a difficult meeting better than usual”.

The therapist asks what happened before the meeting, what the person did first, what was said, how others responded, and what happened afterwards.

This helps identify the actions that made the difference possible.

Clinical example

A family says that a recent argument did not escalate.

The therapist asks who was present, what each person said, who paused, what happened next, and how the conversation ended.

These details help the family notice specific actions that interrupted the usual pattern.

What this technique can open up

Landscape of action questions can open:

  • unique outcome development
  • sequence mapping
  • scaffolding conversations
  • landscape of meaning questions
  • re-authoring conversations
  • recognition of agency
  • clearer understanding of interactional patterns
  • practical future planning

Risks, cautions and ethical considerations

These questions can feel like interrogation if asked too quickly or too many at once.

The therapist should use curiosity and pacing.

The therapist should avoid treating the account as a factual investigation. The focus is therapeutic meaning, not forensic accuracy.

Different family members may remember events differently. This can be explored respectfully.

Questions before using this technique

  • What event am I exploring?
  • Is the person ready to describe it in detail?
  • Could detailed recall feel overwhelming?
  • What level of detail is useful?
  • How can I avoid sounding investigative?
  • What meaning questions may follow?

Questions during use

  • Am I staying close to the event?
  • Is the person becoming clearer or overwhelmed?
  • Are important actions becoming visible?
  • Are differences appearing?
  • Do I need to ask another person’s perspective?
  • Is it time to move to meaning and identity?

Questions after use

  • What actions became visible?
  • What sequence was mapped?
  • What unique outcome appeared?
  • What values might be connected to these actions?
  • What landscape of meaning questions should follow?
  • How could this event support a preferred story?

Narrative epistemology Social constructionism Poststructuralist epistemology Postmodern epistemology Relational epistemology Systemic epistemology

Narrative Systemic Therapy Brief Solution Focused Conversational Dialogic

Landscape of action Landscape of meaning Unique outcomes Stories lived vs stories told Agency Resistance Alternative story Preferred story Meaning-making Identity construction

Landscape of action and identity mapping Unique outcome development Scaffolding conversations Re-authoring conversations Alternative story development Preferred story development

Narrative pathway Brief Solution Focused pathway Conversational pathway Dialogic pathway Family and relational dynamics pathway

Key theorists / contributors

Michael White David Epston Alice Morgan Jill Freedman Gene Combs Lev Vygotsky

Key texts / references

  • White, M. (2007). Maps of Narrative Practice. Norton.
  • White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends. Norton.
  • Morgan, A. (2000). What Is Narrative Therapy? An Easy-to-Read Introduction. Dulwich Centre Publications.
  • Freedman, J., & Combs, G. (1996). Narrative Therapy: The Social Construction of Preferred Realities. Norton.

Notes / source material

Landscape of action questions are usually strengthened by landscape of meaning questions.

The action tells us what happened; the meaning explores why it matters.

Review status

Status: Open for review

Review history:

(No reviews yet.)


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